Mets fans have been reading about Steve Cohen for months, but outside of a few quotes and statements, haven’t seen the new Mets owner on video. That all changes Tuesday.
The Mets announced Sunday that Cohen will hold an “introductory press conference” at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 10, which will be broadcast live on the Mets’ YouTube, Facebook and Twitter pages. The event will also feature Sandy Alderson, the team’s new president and former general manager.
Cohen closed on his $2.4 billion purchase of the Mets on Nov. 6, completing a process that was nearly a year in the making. Mets fans have high hopes for Cohen in turning the franchise’s fortunes around following the 19-year stint of Fred and Jeff Wilpon at the helm — an era that saw far more disappointment than success.
The Mets now have, in Cohen, the richest owner in baseball — with a personal net worth of $15 billion. Prior to purchasing majority ownership in the Mets, the hedge fund manager and life-long Mets fan had an 8% stake in the team.
Before Major League Baseball approved his purchase of the Mets, Cohen had brought in Alderson to serve as the team’s new president. Alderson had been general manager of the Mets between 2011 and 2017, and was the architect of the 2015 Mets that won the National League pennant.
Alderson didn’t waste any time making immediate changes to the front office. Hours after Cohen closed the deal with the Wilpons, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen announced his departure from the club. The new regime also severed ties with many of Van Wagenen’s deputies in the scouting and player development departments, including former Mets GM Omar Minaya.
The fate of the team’s rookie manager, Luis Rojas, remains unclear at this time.
Sources close to Cohen have told amNewYork Metro that Alderson and Cohen are intent on rebuilding the team’s scouting, international talent, development and analytics departments to boost team performance. The Mets are also expected to be very active in the free agent market this offseason.
